Comments on: Most important legislation this year has nothing in it

By: Rossleigh Brisbane

Rossleigh Brisbane — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:13:17 +0000

The difficulty with any education reform is that there is no widespread agreement on the function of the school system.while some view it a preparation for employment - and anything else is an irrelevancy - others believe it should be preparing well rounded individuals capable of taking their place in the world. Throw in concepts of tea hing proper “values”, getting kids fit, helping use new technologies, stopping them spending all their in front of a screen, encouraging healthy eating,

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:55:13 +0000

I do not agree that Australia is ‘badly behind’ in education at any level, with the exception of early childhood education, which the Rudd-Gillard government is fixing. Neither do I agree that Australia is unable to enact key reforms. As flawed as it is, the Gillard Government’s carbon tax is a key reform.

By: Jan Forrester

Jan Forrester — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:41:56 +0000

Dean, are we past the time (of nation-building) when BIG reforms, particularly of services that are largely state-run?
In terms of education if you agreed with this proposition what are the steps, or smaller reforms that could be managed?
I’m disappointed in our inability, for various reasons, to enact key reforms, especially when it is clear that we are badly behind in education yet the PM is talking of the need for high value, high income manufacturing jobs in the future. This also links with so-called Asian engagement and languages/culture.